TheSalonGuy is here to help Salon Owners, HairStylists, Salon Clients, Salon Discussions, Salon Products, Salon Marketing and anything related to the Salon Industry.
TheSalonGuy, "He Knows Salons". Also contributing is George Caroll is a Hollywood hair stylist, salon owner, beauty columnist and professional hair product designer.
The articles posted here for the Salon Guy features star hair styles and all aspects of personal care and enhancement with a tips and a few giggles along the way.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Drawing inspiration from the hair style trends of our favorite stars and celebrities has become a national past time. One such star whose hair style has been emulated by men around the globe is world class rock star Rod Stewart. His tousled spiky bleached blond style set the trend for man's hair styles throughout the 80’s and is just as popular today. Rod’s spiky hair style and rock star persona is irresistible to girls attracted to the wild side and quite the catch for those that go for the sensitive, creative types.

TO GET THE LOOK:If you’re looking for a sexy rocker hair style, take a styling lesson from Rod Stewart. With years of practice Rod knows just what it takes to standout from the crowd. His rock solid style is loaded with “sex appeal” and guarantied to stop the ladies dead in their tracks. If you’re up for a rock star hair style, let’s take it one step at a time; starting with a style cut and shaping.

LET’S SHAPE IT: To get the look, start with a spiky contoured silhouette with tapered hair stylishly over the ears and collar with a few “love locks” across the forehead to fill in the blank spots. With a few adjustments (tweaks) as it grows you can easily find the ideal length and shape for your style.

LET’S STYLE IT:To jump start the style a dab of shaping gel or mousse adds style support and thickens thin hair. Just run either through damp hair and comb in place to dry au natural, or give it a quick once over with a blow dryer for a full tousled look. To add the spiky look and turn on the sexy appeal, when dry, finger comb a dab of foaming pomade or gel-mousse through the top and you’ve got the look.

NOW LET’S COLOR IT: Entertainer’s and actors change their hair color often for the many roles they play so dying it is no big deal. If you have light or medium brown hair and gray around the edge like Rod’s a golden blond “high-lift tint” will put the gray stylishly under cover. After, a few strands are bleached and highlighted with a foil weaving technique for a contrasting au natural sun kissed effect. The blond color will also make large facial features appear smaller and give thin and thinning hair an overall thicker look. To keep it up the new growth is re-colored with every six-eight weeks. This bit of hair color magic requires a trip to a “salon hair colorist” and will set you back a few extra bucks but is well worth the time and expense for a sexy-stylish look and all the attention you’ll get.

This road tested rock n roll style is loaded with sex appeal and comes with bell and whistles to stop women dead in their tracks. The tousled spiky contoured silhouette with a few love locks across the forehead covers the hair line and fills in the blank spots. The au natural sun kissed hair color puts the gray hair under cover and lets everyone know you’re a stylish dude. So be prepared to take email addresses and cell phone numbers when you show up with Rod Stewart’s rock-sexy style.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Drawing inspiration from the hair style trends of our favorite stars and celebrities has become a national pass time. One such star is the talented country pop singer and recent "entertainer of the year"Taylor Swift.With her fresh natural beauty, ultra feminine hair style and glam hair color, it’s no surprise her hair style is emulated by young women around the globe.

TO GET THE LOOK: If you’re looking for the “ultra feminine” hair style take a styling lesson from Taylor Swift and watch heads turn when you show up looking drop dead gorgeous. For those that love the look and feel of long hair and want to give it a ultra feminine look, let’s take it one step at a time; starting with a custom style cut and shaping.

LET’S SHAPE IT: To get the look, start with a long face framingsilhouette, layered for volume with long side swept peek-a-boo bangs. This ultra feminine and truly classic hairstyle is best suited for rectangle, heart and oval face shape… especially those with angular features. With a few adjustments (trims) as it grows you can easily find the ideal length and shape for your look.

LET’S STYLE IT: To put the style in motion, start with a dab of your favorite styling mousse or spray gel curl set. Comb either through damp hair to dry in place au natural or toss your hair over and give it a quick blow dry for volume. A few turns with a ½ inch styling iron is all it takes. Curling your hair in spiral curls is easy once you get the hang of it. Start with small sections at a time and slide the strands through your curling iron so that the end is at the bottom of the curling wand. Then wind the strand upward to ear level and hold it with moderate tension, slowly turn and release the curl. Finger comb a dab of hair polish through the curls and you’ve got the look. For a feminine dressy look tie it back over the shoulder and your good to go.

LET’S ADD MAKEUP AND ACCESSORIES: What’s a feminine star hair style without makeup and accessories? Taylor Swift knows just how good makeup can make you look and feel. Her alluring smoky eyes, winged black eyeliner, rosy cheeks and pale pink lipstick push the feminine bar to the max. Taylor knows how to dress of any occasion and is quite the trend setter. For a casual feminine look Taylor loves wearing hats and “sundresses” and has recently designed a line of stylish Taylor Swift sundresses available at Wal-Mart.

NOW, LET’S COLOR IT:Taylor’s hair color is no ordinary drug store hair color job. For a natural multi-tonal look Taylor’s natural brown hair is first lightened with high lift bleach and colored after with three shades of blond. Light golden brown in nape area, dark blond in crown area and medium/light blond around the hairline with a foil weaving technique. To get this au natural “Blond on Blond” sun kissed look will require a visit with a creative salon hair colorist and will cost a few extra dollars but is well worth the extra time and expense.

Taylor Swiftsultra-feminine style with face framing curly love locks and side swept peek-a-boo bangs says Ole'. A quick blow dry and a once over with a curling wand and like magic you're ready for any occasion. The au natural “blond on blond” hair color is a work of art and lets everyone know this is no home color job. You’re sure to get rave review and your girl friends will be green with envy when they see the guy’s making a fuss over you with Taylor Swift ultra-feminine hair style.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Using Salon Gift Certificates is the perfect way to promote your business and what better time then the Holiday Season. To attract new clients we give salon gift certificates to all our loyal clients all year long as away of personally thanking them for their regular monthly or semi-monthly visits.

The client can use the gift certificate themselves for their next visit or give it to anyone (friend or family member) for an introductory salon (hair cut and styling) with you. The Salon Gift Certificate is a two sided card with information about the salon on the back and includes a value and expiration date (six months).

Bounce Back Promotion.

We're always looking for creative / professional ways to attract new clients. Using Salon Gift Certificate makes loyal clients look good and makes it easy for them to refer a new client to you. You might say that Salon Gift Certificates are the gift that keeps on giving.

Monday, November 22, 2010

I ran across this picture and article in the New York Times Nov 4th titled (A SAFETY KINK IN HAIR RELAXING?)

The following are accounts taken from the article. Just like the permanent wave process that were once the height of fashion, the lucrative process of converting “frizzy kinky and wavy hair” into smooth straight locks produce a unpleasant odor that some say is a health hazard especially to the stylist who applies it repeatedly. Questions about the safety of popular Keratin Brazilian thermal hair relaxing treatment have been raised for years, most notably in a widely read 2007 article in Allure magazine.

But last month, the beauty world was rattled when the occupational health agency in Oregon found significant levels of (Formaldehyde) a common ingredient found in many Keratin "heat activated" hair straightening treatments. The agency said they conducted lab tests after receiving numerous complaints from stylist citing nose bleeds, breathing problems and eye irritation from the fumes while applying the products. The report came soon after a warning from the Canadian health board about the potential dangers from a popular process called the Brazilian Keratin Blowout treatment. Some manufactures of Keratin straightening process acknowledge that their products contain (Formalin), a substance made up in part of Formaldehyde, but say the amount is insignificant and poses no health dangers.

Many salon owners and stylists believe the health agencies may be overreacting. The warning has prompted various responses from salon owners. Some concerned with the health issue have installed costly ventilation systems to clean the air fumes or dedicated special rooms for the treatments and wear masks to filter the fumes. They say it’s worth the expense as the Keratin relaxing treatments are one of the most popular and profitable procedure salons have seen in recent years. The jury is still out and it should be interesting to see how law suits are handled in the coming years and what this may do to salon insurance costs.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

The statuesque Greek Goddess with her sophisticated Chinon, the Eloquent French Twist and Casual Pony Tail reminds us of the staying power of these classic hairstyles. There popularity and longevity is due in large part to the styling versatility. As a result the vast majority of women world wide (75%) prefer wearing their hair long enough to pull up or back into a Chinon, French Twist or Pony Tail.

The Pony Tail is the go to hair style for many time challenged stars like Sarah Jessica Parker, Scarlett Johansson, Kate Beckinsale, and Angelina Jolie. When the Pony Tail style calls for an extra length many stars use a (cap hair piece) called a Fall with a wrap around strand attached to the cap.

If you’re looking for an easy “any time” hairstyle that’s always fashionable and never out of style, pull your hair back into a Pony Tail (high or low) and your good to go. You might say the Pony Tail is the "Work Horse" of hair styles.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Michel Kazan was a hair designer to stars and society figures and the creator of a seemingly endless array of famous hairdos with a career that spanned seven decades. His magazine credits which seem to validate his claim to being the first on the scene with the Poodle Cut, French Twist, Cap Cut, and Bouffant hair styles.

Kazan was an impeccably dressed Frenchman with continental charm and an artist’s eye. Michel had the reputation for setting hairdo trends a year ahead. The hair fashion futurist observed that "nothing can make a woman look more old-fashioned” and out of step with the times than an out-of-date hairdo." Kazan believed changing your hair style, especially as one ages (its shape, color or length) is the beauty secret for everlasting beauty.

As the oracle of beauty and fashion his seasonal trips to Paris for inspiration and the pronouncements that would follow remained cause for fevered speculation for many years. Among Kazan's most famous creations were the French Twist, the Bouffant and Page Boy haircuts. Others included the Fluff Cut, the Cockatoo, the Frizzes, the Bubble and the Cleopatra, which rode the success of Elizabeth Taylor movie. And the whimsical Urchin, in which hair was "cropped and feathered” like a little Pixie Cap.

Kazan was also a deft entrepreneur and trend setter. In addition to offering a line of wigs, perfume and hair care products and cosmetics, he sought to capture the American woman's appetite for beauty in short order with Pocket Full of Curls, a pinned-on precursor of today's “hair extensions”. A tireless innovator, Kazan kept pace with the changing face of fashion and culture throughout the tumultuous sixties and seventies, at times adapting and at others, blazing new trails counter to a perceived trend of the time. For example, his use of long straight and wavy hair piece's called "falls" at a fashion show created a sensation that swept the world, despite the increasing popularity of the less complicated styles being pioneered by Vidal Sassoon.

At its height, Kazan's flagship salon, a luxuriously decorated five story townhouse in midtown Manhattan, was host to a parade of notables. His salon also served as a training ground for a generation of talented stylists who would go on to prestigious careers themselves. Michel Kazan will always be remembered as a voice for “American Beauty Culture” and inspiration for all to follow.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

What are sulfates and are they really harmful to the health of your hair? Almost every shampo­o you find in drug stores or beauty salons has some form of surfactant in its formula. The most common type is “sodium lauryl sulfate” which has gained a bad reputation in the beauty world in resent years and the number of new shampoos claiming to be sulfate-free is slowly increasing. There are the "no-poo" sulfate-free shampooadvocates claiming sulfates strip the hair of color and natural oils far too much; on the other side there are those who maintain that “sulfate-free” shampoos do a poor job of cleansing the hair because they don't foam up much or rinse out of the hair well enough, especially in hard water. Sulfonated Shampoos have been use for decades because they work really well in hard water and are extremely effective at generating a lot of foamy bubbles which help disperse the cleanser evenly through the hair too dissolve and rinse away dirt, wax, oil, and styling aids especially the kind found on your hair.

Sulfates and there are many types are cleansing ingredients called surfactants derived from coconut oil, palm kernel oil, soy bean oil and petrochemicals. In fact, there are many ingredients used for multiple purposes in a shampoo formula; water, surfactants, foam boosters, thickeners, conditioning agents, preservatives, modifiers and special additives to give the shampoo its color and odor…. all added at different strengths and levels to balance mildness and conditioning with effective cleaning performance.

To offset the harsh effect of some surfactantsoften some type of conditioning ingredients is also added. Typical conditioning agents include proteins, polymers, silicones, and quaternary agents. Each of these compounds with the help of a surfactant improves the feel and softness, while reducing static charge. Shampoos that feature conditioning as a benefit are called 2-in-1 shampoos because they clean and condition hair in the same step. Clarifying and purifying shampoos for example use a stronger type of “surface active sulfate” to dissolve and remove styling aid build up but are to strong for daily use.Finally you can use topical dermatological hair and body cleansers or baby shampoo which contains milder Amphoteric surfactants like TEA Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate or Lauroamphoglycinate. Those provide safe mild cleansing and conditioning benefits for sensitive skin, body cleansers, color treated hair or daily use.

If sulfate shampoos just aren’t your cup of tea, there are plenty of other types of surfactants used in so called (Sulfate-Free) shampoos. Non-sulfate anionic cleansers include Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauryl. These tend to be less stripping so you may find they don’t bubble up as much, rinse out and clean as well. A lot of people won’t want to hear this, but surfactants especially the milder Amphoterics are among the safest cleansers you can buy although some people with sensitive skin do complain of dry itchy scalp after using sulfate shampoos especially in dry climates. But most people have no problem, especially if they are followed by a hair conditioner and used infrequently.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

As a hair stylist you know a hair styling can be transforming and magical. The right hair style can make a large nose look smaller and a round face appear slimmer. And like magic make some people look older or even years younger and pounds slimmer. Often all it takes is few quick snips and some styling tricks to unlock its style potential and natural beauty. Everyone is unique and so is their hair. And everyone can wear their hair long, mid length or short, full or close and one of those lengths and shapes will suit them best. I first look for what makes each "person and their hair unique" and design a style to enhance its natural beauty. Because hair grows and has a life-like quality I've found it takes me "three visits in a row (adjustments) to fully develop a style. One that holds its shape as it grows, is balanced from all points of view and for the most part...styles itself.

Because a new hair style or hair color happens quickly (snip, snip, snip), for most people (including me) it’s hard to remember what their hair looked like just minutes ago. To truly appreciate the improvements a new color or style has made in their over all appearance, I take before and after snap shots from all points of view (front, profile and back) with the new Polaroid Digital Camera. It prints out wallet size pictures on the spot and you select only the pictures you want to print. To capture the best examples, I take lots of pictures before, during and after and print the best before and after pictures.

If a picture is a thousand words than a Polaroid snap shot speaks volumes and the pictures are theirs to keep. This extra step has helped me show people the improvements a style or color has made and makes their visit a fun and memorablehair styling experience. And because the Polaroid is also a digital camera you can take as many snap shots as you like (print the best) and store the images on our salon computer for future references.

You can also use the digital camera on your phone and flip through the picture when you finished. After you can send the pictures via email and make every new clients salon visits a memorable….. Hair Styling Experience!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Little has affected cosmetic formulation in the last decade than the Green Movement. Proponents of this philosophy have prompted personal care manufacturers to completely reformulate many products to remove animal derived ingredients, add organic extracts and expunge formulas of any chemical that might sound controversial. Formulas also have to be sustainable and come from fair trade sources. The Sustainable Cosmetics Summit goes through all the things a cosmetic chemist will need to know to formulate “green” in the future.

Bio-degradabilityis an area of preservation where sustainable may be a better alternative than “natural.” Synthetic preservatives that are safe, effective and bio-degradable are usually easier to use in a wide variety of formulations than are their more natural counterparts. Au-natural "green" ingredients have a short shelf life and need a stable preservative system.

“It’s great to have exotic au-natural green ingredients, but not if they are simply used as a "special promotional additive" with little or no improvement and destroying rain forests in the process." Something to consider the next time you reach for something green.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

The male grooming market is white hot these days. It seems that every time you turn around there's a new shampoo, shave cream, or styling product for men being introduced. One growing segment of the hair care market is aimed squarely at the man who lacks hair. Whether bald by choice or from male pattern baldness, there is a slew of new grooming products for men with a bald or shaved head to help keep their chrome dome looking clean, slick and shiny.

Having a smooth bald head has become very popular in resent years, especially when basketball super star Michael Jordan showed off his bald head. Just take a look at some male celebrities who are sporting the bald head style such as John Travolta, Vin Diesel, Bruce Willis, and even some women celebrities wanted to try the look (Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie and Demi Moore).

A shaved head is a good option for guys with thinning hair or those that wants to make a bold fashion statement. For some men having a shaved head can accent masculine features like a strong jaw or chin. But before you rush into the bathroom to shave your head keep in mind the bald head style is not for every man. The best candidates for the bald head style are men with a well balanced round shaped head, not pointy or flat across the back. Like a hair style a shaved head must fit the shape of your head, face shape and facial features. As well as the size of your ears, length of the neck and body size in order to look balanced from all points of view.

Of course, the first step in maintaining a great looking melon is to use proper shaving technique and the right products for a healthy looking scalp. Before attempting to shave your head for the first time, I strongly recommend consulting your hair stylist to help determine if this look will complement your face and head shape and show you how to shave your head. It’s not all that much different then shaving your face. While some women find a shaved head a thing of beauty other may see it as a turn off. No matter, hair grows and you won’t believe just how fast it does until you find yourself shaving it everyday. Now that’s something to consider if your up for this new look.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Drawing inspiration from the hair style trends of our favorite stars and celebrities has become national past time. One such star whose hair style is always on the must have list is Hollywood’s bad boy Robert Downey Jr.His tousled finger combed hair style and movie star persona is irresistible to ladies who are attracted to the wild side and quite the catch for those girls who are drawn to the sensitive, creative types.

TO GET THE LOOK: Are you looking for a hair style to go with your bad boy image? Try Robert’s hair style on for size and walk on the wild side. Be forewarned, this bad boy hair-do’ is a “babe magnet". To get the look, let’s take it one step at a time; starting with a style cut and shaping.

LET’S SHAPE IT: start with a contoured silhouettewith full tapered sides and neckline stylishly over the collar. The crown is cut short to stand up for a full look or combed forward with a few "love locks"casually covering the hairline. This shapely finger combed head turning-do’ almost styles itself. With a few adjustments (trims) as it grows you can easily find the ideal length and shape for your personal style.

LET’S STYLE IT: To jump start your style; apply a dab of shaping gel or mousse or nothing at all. Just run either through damp hair and comb in place to dry au natural, or give it a quick once over with a blow dryer for a full tousled look. For the “bad boy” look, when dry, add a dab of hair polish and you’ve got the look.

LET’S ADD WHISKERS: Nothing can reshape a face or add a dramatic look like facial hair. This simple addition can make a weak narrow chin stronger, a double chin disappear, cover a wide upper lip or a ruddy complexion, add a few years to a baby face and defiantly adds a rugged, stylish or artsy look. Let your whiskers grow for a few weeks and visit a stylist to have it shaped for your face shape and features.

NOW, LET’S COLOR IT: Movie actors change their hair color often for the many roles they play so dying their hair is no big deal. If you have brown hair with gray around the edge a rich brown tint or a shade closest to your natural hair color will define the shape and wash way the gray away. After, a clear glaze seals-in the color and turn on the shine. For Robert’s blond hair color, a golden blond high lift tint adds a sun bleached look. To keep it up plan on having the new growth colored with every other style cut. This will cost a few extra bucks but is well worth the price for cool look and all the attention you'll get.

AT A GLANCE this shapely head turning finger combed look let’s the ladies know you’re the type of dude that walks on the wild side. The contoured silhouette and tapered neckline stylishly over the collar with a few casual "love locks"across the forehead turns the style meter up a notch. The sun kissed hair color and whiskers gives it a edgy touch that's irresistible to the ladies attracted to your "wild side". So be prepared for to take names and cell phone numbers when you show up with Robert's “bad boy” style.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Self-heating technology has been showing up in many of our everyday beauty products turning them into “spa-like-treatments”. What sorts of magic ingredients go into self-heating beauty products?

The “secret” self-heating ingredient is zeolite, a micro-mineral that gives off heat when applied to “wet hair”. For hair treatments the heat is minimized to raise the temperature only by about 3 degrees for shampoo and slightly higher for conditioning treatments, certainly not hot enough to produce a burn. But the heat is definitely apparent to users. While most people enjoy the heating sensation, some may be sensitive to the heat.

The addition of heat “active by water” has been shown to improve the cleansing process and make active conditioning ingredients more effective. Heat also stimulates circulation to relax tense nerve ending and sooth to the scalp.

Feel the Warmth … See the Shine

The Heat Energized Shampoo and Conditioning treatment by Studio Style is an example of this new technology at its best. Self-heating and infused with micro-poly-silicone to cleanse, seal and repair surface damage giving all hair a soft silky feel, brilliant color, luster and manageability in seconds. Hair stays cleaner and styles last longer with this all new heat energized "hair spa treatment". Ideal for today’s fast paced healthy life styles.

Self-heating technology in beauty products is still relatively new technology. It is interesting how basic chemistry can be used to create an “all-in-one” spa-like treatment. Self-heating hair and skin care treatments not only improve the effectiveness of active ingredients but are also therapeutic. This technology will be further explored and developed by cosmetics companies in the coming years..